The Governess
by InvaderPixy
Summary: I'm just pretending Ella never wnt to finishing school. Her father allowed her to have a governess in this story.
1. Chapter One

Ella and Madam Devony  
  
Okay, I'm gonna pretend that Ella never went to Finishing School, she had a tutor. Also, cuz i like her, Areida had the same governess so they got 2 b buds n e way :) okay, the part of this belongs 2 Gail Carson Levine. I changed a few word here and there and took quite a few scenes from it, but i think the result is okay :) All the characters besides Madam Devony also belong 2 her. Devony belongs 2 me :) tell me wut u fink, this is my first Ella fanfic.  
  
Chapter One  
  
"It's my fault," Father said, cutting into a sparrowgrass spear."I've let you grow up an oaf."  
"I am not an oaf!"  
Mandy wasn't one to mince words, and she'd never called me that. Clumsy, bumbling, gawky - but never an oaf. Blunder, lumpkin, fumble-foot - but never an oaf.  
"But you're young enough to learn," Father went on. "Someday I may want to take you into civilized company."  
"I don't like civilized company."  
"I may need civilized company to like you. I've made up my mind. It's off to finishing school with you."  
I couldn't go. I wouldn't!  
"You said I could have a governess. Wouldn't that be less expensive then sending me away?"  
A serving maid whisked away my uneaten sparrowgrass and replaced it with scallops and tomato aspic.  
"How kind of you to worry. A governess would be much more expensive. And I haven't the time to interview governesses. In two days, you shall go to finishing school with Dame Olga's daughters.  
"I won't."  
He continued as though I hadn't spoken. "I'll write a letter to the headmistress, which I shall entrust to you, along with a purse filled with enough KJs to stop her rotests against a last-minute pupil.  
"I won't go."  
"You shall do as I say, Eleanor."  
"I won't go."  
"Ella . . ." He bit into a scallop, and before he could swallow I interupted him.  
"Father, I shall find my own governess. I will do what it takes. I will even find one with another pupil, we could have her stay here with us."  
Father roared with laughter. I really dislike people laughing at me.  
"What's so funny?" I asked, my voice as sharp as barbed wire.  
"Ella, do you know how hard it is to find a decent governess?" Father asked, grinning. My face remained set. Father's smile remained, but he seemed mildly impressed with my persistance. "Fine then. If you can find yourself a decent governess within this week, I shall allow you to stay here. And, yes, I would rather have another young lass for you to get aquainted with, so you at least have a nice friend with some social status."  
I felt warm relief spread through me, which was quickly replaced with axeity. One week? That wasn't nearly enough time to get a governess!  
"But if you do not find one, then you will go off to finishing school. I believe Dame Olga's children are going to Jenn, to some Madam Edna's place, or a name something like that." He continued, as if I cared about this information. "The minute they return, though, you three shall get together, while you compare what you have learned. If you know as much or more then them on how to be proper, I will allow you to stop your education. If you know a significant amount less, off to Jenn with you."   
I sat there, gaping with him. He still had his victorous smile in place. I held back a grimice. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. I didn't trust myself to talk, I felt like I would be hostile, and that couldn't end good. But, I kept telling myself, at least I have a chance. A small one, but still a chance.  
~*~  
Before bed, I was thinking my idea over. The sheer imposibility struck me harder then even there, and I started to cry. I had a picture of Father's face in my mind, his smile proclaiming that I was going to Jenn no matter what.  
"Sweetie . . " The door opened. It was Mandy with Tonic and a box.  
I felt bad enough. "No Tonic, Mandy. I'm fine. Truly."  
"Oh, lovey." She put down the Tonic and the box and held me, stroking my forehead.  
"I can't do it." I said to her shoulder.  
"Yes you can, honey. You're a strong lass you can do it!" She held me for a long while, until I was almost asleep. Then she shifted her weight. "Tonic time."  
"I'll skip tonight."  
"No you won't. Not tonight, especially. I won't have you getting sick when you need your strength to find yourself an able governess." A spoon came out of her apron. "Take it. Three spoons."  
I braced myself. Tonic tasted nutty and good, but it felt slimy, like swallowing a frog. Each spoonful oozed along my throat. I continued to gulp after it was down, to rid myself of the sensation.  
But it made me feel better - a little better. Ready to talk anyway. I settled myself into Mandy's lap.  
"Why did Mother marry him?" This question had troubled me since I was old enough to think about it.  
Until she was his wife, Sir Peter was very sweet to Lady. I didn't trust him, but she wouldn't listen to me. Her family didn't approve because he was poor, which made Lady want him even more, she was that kind-hearted." Mandy's hand stopped its comforting journey up and down my forehead. "Ella, pet, try to keep him from learning about the spell on you."  
"Why? What would he do?"  
"He likes to have his way to much. He'd use you."  
"Mother ordered me not to tell about the curse. But I wouldn't anyway."  
"That's right." Her hand went back to work on my forehead. I closed my eyes.  
"How can I possibly do it?"  
"Finding a governess? I haven't a clue. I expect you could put up a notice around town. Or possibly . . ." I looked up and Mandy. She looked rather uncomfortable.  
"Well, I know my old governess's daughter is still teaching. Maybe she's better then her mother." She scowled. I wondered what was wrong with her. "If I were you, though, I'd use her as my last resort. I'm sure her mother taught her all she knows."  
I nodded, deciding to take Mandy's word for it.  
"Sit up, sweet. Don't you want your presents?"  
I had forgotten about the box. But there had been only one. "Presents?"  
"One at a time." Mandy handed me the box I'd seen. "For you, wherever you go your whole life."  
Inside the box was a book of fairy tales. I had never seen such beautiful illustrations. They were almost alive. I turned the pages, marveling.  
"When you look at it, you can remember me and take comfort."  
"I'll save it until Father ships me off, so the stories will be knew."  
Mandy chuckled. "You won't finish it so fast. It grows on you. Besides, I have complete faith in you. You will find a governess." She fished in the pocket of her apron and fetched out a tissue-paper packet. "From Lady. She would have wanted you to have it."  
It was Mother's necklace. Threads of silver ended almost at my waist in a woven pattern of silver studdrd with tiny pearls.  
"You'll growinto it, sweet, and look as lovely wearing it as your mother did."  
"I'll wear it always."  
"You'd be wise to keep it under your gown when you go out. It's that valuable. Gnomes made it."  
The bell tinkled downstairs. "That father of yours is ringing."  
I hugged Mandy and clung to her.  
She disentangled herself from my arms. "Let me go, love." Planting a kiss on my cheek, she left.  
I settled back into bed, and this time sleep claimed me. 


	2. Chapter Two

Okay there's some more from Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted in this chapter. But I changed some of it around in places for it to make since. Tell me what you think! :)  
  
Chapter Two  
  
The next morning, I woke up with my fingers curled around Mother's necklace. The clock in King Jerrold's palace was just striking six. Perfect. I wanted to rise early and spend the day putting up posters and asking around for governesses in the places I loved best.  
I put my gown over the necklace and crept down to the pantry, where I found a tray of freshly bakes scones. They were hot, so I tossed two in th air and caught them in my skirt, pulling it out to make a basket. Then, looking down at my breakfast, I ran to the front of the house and right into Father.  
He was in the entranceway, waiting for Nathan to bring the carriage around.  
"I don't have time for you now, Eleanor. Run off and bang into somebody else. And tell Mandy I'll be back with the bailiff. We'll need lunch."  
As instructed, I ran off. Aside from its dangerous aspects, the curse often made a fool of me and was partly the reason I seemed so clumsy. Now I had to bang into someone.  
Bertha was carrying wet laundry. When I bumped into her, she dropped her basket. My gowns and stockings and undergarments tumbled onto the tiles. I helped her pick them up, but she was going to have to wash everything over again.  
"Little mistress, it's hard enough getting your things ready so quick without having to do it twice," she scolded.  
After I apologized, and after I delivered Father's message to Mandy, and after she made me sit down and eat breakfast on a plate, I started for the royal menagerie just outside the walls of the king's palace. I figured it was as good a place as any to start, although I didn't expect to find an able governess there. But I hadn't been there for so long, so I thought that I could spare a few hours. And who knew, maybe I would find a governess there.  
My favorite exhibits were the talking birds and the exotic animals. Except for the hydra in her swamp and the baby dragon, the exotics - the unicorn, the herd of centaurs, and the gryphorn family - lived on an island meadow surrounded by an extension of the castle moat.  
The dragon was kept in an iron cage. He was beautiful in his tiny ferocity and seemed happiest when flaming, his ruby eyes gleaming evilly.  
I bought a morsel of yellow cheese from the stand next to the cage and toasted it in the fire, which was a tricky buisness, getting close enough for cooking but not so close the dragon could get the treat.  
I wondered what King Jerrold planned to do with him when he grew up. I wondered also if I would be home to learn his fate.  
Beyone the dragon, a centaur stood near the moat, gazing at me. Did centuars like cheese? I walked toward him quietly, hoping he wouldn't gallop off.  
"Here," a voice said.  
I turned. It was Prince Charmont, offering me an apple.  
"Thank you."  
Holding out my hand, I edged closer to the moat. The centuar's nostrils flared and he trotted toward me. I tossed the apple. Two other centuars galloped over, but mine caught the treat and started eating, crunching loudly.  
"I always expect them to thank me or to say, 'How dare you stare?'" I said.  
"They're not smart enough to talk. See how blank their eyes are." He pointed, teaching me.  
I knew all that, but perhaps it was a princely duty to explain matters to one's subjects.  
"If they had words," I said, "they wouldn't be able to think of anything to say."  
A surprised silence followed. Then Char laughed. "That's funny! You're funny. As the Lady Eleanor was." He looked stricken. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to remind you."  
"I think of her often," I said. Most of the time.  
We walked along the edge of the moat, and I put up a flyer Mandy made me.  
"What's that?" Char asked.  
"Well, Father gave me the choice of going to Jenn to Finishing School and finding myself a governess. If I don't find a governess, I'm going to Finishing School anyway. So I though, well at least I'm doing something to stop me going."  
Char nodded, absorbing the conflict. "Well," he said, "we have a governess. Maybe you could come live with us."  
Now, Im like every other lass, dreaming of living in the palace someday, but this wasn't the time. "Oh, I don't think Father would like that at all!" I said, before I even knew I was thinking it.  
"Ah," said Char, trying to think of a solution. Changing the subject (perhaps because he didn't have an answer), he asked me, "Would you like an apple too?" He held out another one to me.  
I wanted to make him laugh, so I pawed the ground with my right foot and tossed my head as though I had a mane. Opening my eyes as wide as they'd go, I stared stupidly at Char and took the apple.  
He did laugh. Then he made an anouncement. "I like you. I'm quite taken with you." He took a third apple for himself out of the pocket of his cape.  
I liked him too. He wasn't haughty or disdainful, or stuffy, as High Chancellor Thomas was.  
I kept putting up flyers in each section, giving our address and Father's name, Sir Peter.   
Soon, we reached my other favorite place, the parrot cages. The birds spoke all the languages of the world, even non-human tounges. I imated all the birds (something I'm very good at) and even started to teach Char some exotic tounges. His memory was good, but his accent horrible. He seemed keen to learn, though.  
We walked around for hours, sometimes talking, sometimes silent. When Char had to go, he left telling me this.  
"Tonight I will summon all governesses in Kyrria to my castle and send them to you. And soon I shall catch a Centuar and give it to you." 


End file.
